September 11, 2001 was a beautiful Tuesday in the fall, not a cloud floated in the sky. Across the United States, Americans were busy with their normal lives. By noon time, all of America had lost its sense of security because of the horrible terrorist attacks which occurred that morning. America would never be the same.This was not the first foreign terrorist attack America had seen. On February 26, 1993, an explosion shook the parking garage in Tower One of the World TradeCenter.This bombing killed 6 people and injured over 1000. It was the first foreign terrorist attack on US soil. Americans were shocked again when, on October 12, 2000,the USSCole was struck by a suicide boat off the coast of Aden. In this attack, 17 sailors were killed and 39 were injured. Even knowing these events, before September11 Americans felt safe from violent terrorist attacks, which happened frequently over seas. These attacks usually only happened in the Middle East or other locations where conflicts already existed. Israel was the victim of many terrorist attacks because of the Arab and Israeli conflict that has been going on for decades.This false sense of security changed when America experienced its most devastating attack of terrorism on September 11, 2001. The Twin Towers in NewYork City,the Pentagon in Washington D.C. and flight 93, which was meant to hit the White House but crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, were the objects of suicidal terrorists. How that day transpired has gone down as a part of U.S. history. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 were carried out by Islamic terrorist being financed by Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda terrorist organization. The 19 terrorist were able to highjack the planes because they smuggled box cutters and knives through security. After taking over the planes the turned the commuter jets into guided missiles full of fuel .They were angry with America because of its support for Israel and its military presence in the Middle East.At 8:45 am that morning American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston in rout to Los Angeles California hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. It crashed into the 80th floor of the 110- story building. There were 92 people on flight 11 who died instantly along with hundreds in the building. America looked in horror as the pictures were broadcasted on TV. At first it was thought that it was an accident. But then 18 minutes later United Airlines Flight 175 from Boston to Los Angeles crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade center around the 60th floor. This instantly killed the 65 passengers on board along with many in the building America quickly realized that this was no accident and we were being attacked.
Brave police and firemen rushed into the burning buildings to help the wounded and trapped. Thousands of people desperately tried to get out of the buildings. Some even jumped from top floors to escape the flames only to die from the fall. The scene became even more devastating when at 10:05 am the South Tower collapsed killing hundreds of people including many of the Police and Firemen who had gone into help. At 10:28 am the North Tower also collapsed with the same outcome. In all 2,833 people were dead or missing. Included in the dead and missing were 343 Firefighters and Paramedics, 23 New York City Police Officers and 37 Port Authority Police Officers. Almost 10,000 people were treated for injuries, many severe. Many remains have still not been identified. New York was not the only target of the terrorist. At 9:43 am American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the west side of the Pentagon. The impact and the fire from the burning jet fuel killed all 64 aboard the airliner and 125 military personal and civilians in the Pentagon.Flight 77 had taken off from Washington Dulles International Airport at 8:20 am it was heading for Los Angeles, California. After the terrorist had high jacked the plane it went of course and turned back towards Washington DC. Two of the passengers on the plane were able to make phone calls using air phones. After the Pentagon was hit Washington realized it was a target of the terrorist also. The White House started to evacuate at 9:45 am. By 10:45 am all federal buildings in Washington DC were evacuated. America watched in horror as the attacks of September 11 were televised. No one realized that there had been a fourth plane high jacked. United Airlines Flight 93 out of Newark International Airport in New Jersey heading for San Francisco was also high jacked. Approximately 40 minutes into the flight two of the hijackers forced there way into the cockpit. Over the loud speaker they announced there was a bomb on board and the flight was returning to the airport. Many of the passengers called family and friends telling them that the flight had been hijacked. The passengers were told of the attacks that had already taken place in New York and Washington DC. As the phone calls continued it became obvious that flight 93 was also intended to crash into a target, possibly the White House. The passengers decided to over power the hijackers and storm the cockpit. They succeeded in stopping the hijackers from completing there goal. Unfortunately at 10:10 am United Flight 93 crashed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. In this crash 44 people were killed including the 4 hijackers. The passengers of Flight 93 are considered heroes because of there bravery.
Most Americans will always remember where they were when they first heard the horrific news. The devastation these attacks brought on America united the whole nation. No one should ever forget the 2,974 souls that were lost on the September 11, 2001 terrorists attacks.
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The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 were carried out by Islamic terrorist being financed by Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda terrorist organization. The 19 terrorist were able to highjack the planes because they smuggled box cutters and knives through security. After taking over the planes the turned the commuter jets into guided missiles full of fuel .They were angry with America because of its support for Israel and its military presence in the Middle East.At 8:45 am that morning American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston in rout to Los Angeles California hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. It crashed into the 80th floor of the 110- story building. There were 92 people on flight 11 who died instantly along with hundreds in the building. America looked in horror as the pictures were broadcasted on TV. At first it was thought that it was an accident. But then 18 minutes later United Airlines Flight 175 from Boston to Los Angeles crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade center around the 60th floor. This instantly killed the 65 passengers on board along with many in the building America quickly realized that this was no accident and we were being attacked.
Brave police and firemen rushed into the burning buildings to help the wounded and trapped. Thousands of people desperately tried to get out of the buildings. Some even jumped from top floors to escape the flames only to die from the fall. The scene became even more devastating when at 10:05 am the South Tower collapsed killing hundreds of people including many of the Police and Firemen who had gone into help. At 10:28 am the North Tower also collapsed with the same outcome. In all 2,833 people were dead or missing. Included in the dead and missing were 343 Firefighters and Paramedics, 23 New York City Police Officers and 37 Port Authority Police Officers. Almost 10,000 people were treated for injuries, many severe. Many remains have still not been identified.
New York was not the only target of the terrorist. At 9:43 am American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the west side of the Pentagon. The impact and the fire from the burning jet fuel killed all 64 aboard the airliner and 125 military personal and civilians in the Pentagon. Flight 77 had taken off from Washington Dulles International Airport at 8:20 am it was heading for Los Angeles, California. After the terrorist had high jacked the plane it went of course and turned back towards Washington DC. Two of the passengers on the plane were able to make phone calls using air phones. After the Pentagon was hit Washington realized it was a target of the terrorist also. The White House started to evacuate at 9:45 am. By 10:45 am all federal buildings in Washington DC were evacuated.
America watched in horror as the attacks of September 11 were televised. No one realized that there had been a fourth plane high jacked. United Airlines Flight 93 out of Newark International Airport in New Jersey heading for San Francisco was also high jacked. Approximately 40 minutes into the flight two of the hijackers forced there way into the cockpit. Over the loud speaker they announced there was a bomb on board and the flight was returning to the airport. Many of the passengers called family and friends telling them that the flight had been hijacked. The passengers were told of the attacks that had already taken place in New York and Washington DC. As the phone calls continued it became obvious that flight 93 was also intended to crash into a target, possibly the White House. The passengers decided to over power the hijackers and storm the cockpit. They succeeded in stopping the hijackers from completing there goal. Unfortunately at 10:10 am United Flight 93 crashed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. In this crash 44 people were killed including the 4 hijackers. The passengers of Flight 93 are considered heroes because of there bravery.
Most Americans will always remember where they were when they first heard the horrific news. The devastation these attacks brought on America united the whole nation. No one should ever forget the 2,974 souls that were lost on the September 11, 2001 terrorists attacks.
974 words